Canal Park

Your Guide

Canal Park is one of the first parks built as part of the District’s Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. A model for sustainable design, the park is a candidate for LEED Gold certification and pilot project for the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES). The park was completed in 2012 and consists of three linear blocks designed by OLIN. The linear rain garden, reminiscent of the Washington Canal that ran through the city in the late 1700’s, is a major design element that evokes the history of the area.

Canal Park maintains an extensive storm water collection and reuse system. 100 percent of the water from the site and surrounding streets is collected in bioswales, tree pits, and rain gardens, and is channeled into two large underground cisterns. This satisfies 95 percent of the park’s water needs and creates a neighborhood-scale stormwater management system. There are also 28 underground geothermal wells that provide energy for park utilities and reduce energy consumption by 37 percent. Canal Park is a model for how to use green infrastructure to transform a former brownfield into a vital and sustainable urban environment.

Spray Fountain

Each of the three park blocks has its own identity but reads as a whole because hardscape materials, plantings, and water are repeated throughout. This is the large interactive spray fountain at the entrance to the park at 2nd and M St. SE.

Image: Joan Honeyman

The Fountain Draws People in

The fountain enlivens the park entry and is a magnet for kids of all ages. It also provides a dramatic backdrop for other activity areas inside the park.

An Ice Skating Rink in Winter

In winter, this area turns into a meandering ice skating path reminiscent of the original canal; visitors can rent skates and sip hot chocolate in the pavilion.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Sculptures

Sculptures by David Hess are designed with a water theme.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Mobile Furniture

Movable furniture accommodates groups of all sizes. Rain gardens on either side of the plaza are part of a low impact development (LID) network that collects 100 percent of the stormwater from paved areas and directs it to underground cisterns holding 80,000 gallons of water at the southern end of the park.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Green Roof

An extensive green roof at the pavilion building.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Light Cubes

A large, lighted-cube lantern with translucent acrylic panels sits on top of the pavilion and is used for public projection art and light displays. Tree pit bio-retention systems collects drainage from roadways and adjacent buildings and provides street level runoff capture and filtration. This water is also directed to the cisterns.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Rain Garden

A portion of the linear rain garden located in the middle section of the park.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Sustainable Wood Used Throughout

The park’s wood structures, designed by STUDIOS Architecture, are all built with “reclaimed and sustainably harvested” black locust, replacing the need for unsustainable rainforest lumber. The structures recall floating barges that were common on the canal.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Central Lawn

The central gathering space located in the middle section of the park.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Wave Patterned Grates

Water capture from the street flows through evocative wave patterned grates.

Image: Joan Honeyman

Sculpture at the End of the Park

The end section of the park is a large lawn collection area with sculpture by David Hess.